If you are interested in joining the list of speakers, please see the call for speakers.
Ahmed Maawy
I am a Software Engineer, and have worked for the likes of Ushahidi and SwiftRiver, and also done curation and visualization tools for the likes of Al Jazeera. I then developed a passion for community empowerment, being one of the founders of the Mombasa Tech Community and shaping a major part of its strategy with 2 other brilliant fellows.
I am the Technology lead at Abayima, and work with Appfrica labs (including Hive Colab in Kampala, Uganda). I have spent more than 10 years developing web, mobile, and enterprise software as well as being a project manager for a number of software products and projects. I have worked with corporations and non profits alike, as well as media agencies such as Al Jazeera New Media (on 3 important curation projects covering Somalia, Libya and Gaza) as well as Internews Europe. Also worked for Ushahidi as a Software Engineer for SwiftRiver, Datadyne as Product Manager for EpiSurveyor (now MagPi), and with Kenya Airways for their Online Marketing strategy, Bookings and Reservations engines, and overall web strategy – during my time with 3 Mice Interactive Media, to name a few.
Barbra Muruga
I am a queer African feminist from Nairobi Kenya. I strongly believe in the feminist and transfeminist values and I am a human rights and social justice activist with a particular focus on trans and intersex activism. I have a goal to see the rights of gender minorities truly upheld in the countries they reside in and specifically the African communities. I believe I am still a young activist and I have a lot to learn from the much more experienced activists.
My session will be on exploring blogging on minority issues – how extensive it is, what the topics are usually about, who are the writers, what kind of writers (where they come from, their background, their status, etc), style of writing, the reach, number of audience, impact etc. I will also explore the growth and differences from the past.
Brenda Wambui
I am a young Kenyan woman interested in writing, social media, entrepreneurship and being a positive change agent. I am a graduate of Strathmore University, and have been involved in several youth organizations such as AIESEC and my university student body. Currently, I am a freelance writer and digital consultant, as well as an entrepreneur.
Daniel D’Esposito
I am the director of HURIDOCS, where we work with human rights organisations around the world to provide them with the right websites and databases. And I’m a WordPress fan!
WordPress: the best CMS for NGOs.
I’d like to present on how WordPress can be used as a CMS. Drupal is often referred to as the “serious player” for advanced websites, and WordPress is only for blogs. But actually this is not true, and more and more serious players are realizing that WordPress is the better option: simple, affordable, yet its flexible and very powerful.
Erik Hersman
Erik Hersman harnesses Africa’s boundless spirit of innovation by creating platforms to improve daily lives both inside and outside the continent. Hersman facilitates a host of web, mobile and community projects through organizations like the iHub, a Nairobi innovation hub for the technology community, bringing together entrepreneurs, hackers, designers and the investment community and built around the vision of an epicenter for Kenya’s booming tech industry. The mobile app Ushahidi, which he co-founded, allows users to share breaking news through text messaging, and continues to revolutionize and empower journalists, watchdog groups, and everyday people around the world. He is also the founder of the BRCK, a backup generator for the internet, and is a general partner in the Savannah Fund.
Huston Malande
Huston is captain of the Martian ship and it’s extraordinary crew. They walk and work among earthlings under the guise of Skyline Design (http://skylinedesign.co.ke).
Session: The End Game — Custom Post Types
The intention is to convince both developer and site owner alike that custom post types make the functional capabilities of WordPress as a CMS limitless. He’ll begin with a general overview of what can be done (with short case studies from Skyline’s portfolio), then wrap up with a brief technical/tutorial segment showing developers how they can start creating custom post types themselves.
John Gacheru
I am professional counseling psychologist who works with individuals, couples and groups to help them gain deeper insight of their inner self.
My session, titled “The Psyche of a Blogger” will involve experiential exploration of the inner workings of a blogger. What makes bloggers tick? What is the unconscious motivation of blogging? What values inform the blogger’s quest? I will seek to answer these questions and help the bloggers become more aware of their psychological constitution.
John Karanja
I am the Founder of Whive.com an organization that innovates social media solutions for enterprises that leverage on the Internet. Whive.com has over 120,000 members globally and was a Winner at the Pivot 25 Mobile Technology Competition in 2011. I am also a Director at Space Kenya Networks Ltd which is a company I co-founded in 2008 that provides Internet services as well as work space for businesses and startups operating in Nairobi.
Whive is also the First African Winner of the Nokia Open Screen Fund in 2009 as well as a nominee for the Tech4Africa Innovation Award in 2011.
I have Masters degree in Sociology from the University of Oxford, England (2010) and a Bachelor of Business and Information Technology from Strathmore University, Kenya (2006).
Kimanzi Constable
I’m an author who self-published two ebooks and sold over 80,000 copies, my first published book comes out in May. I’m a life coach who helps people figure out what their dreams are and how to make them a reality.
I’m a consultant who works with companies worldwide on how to effectively connect with people through social media. I’m an international speaker who teaches audiences all over the world how to stop existing and how to truly live. My mission is to help people live the full and abundant life they truly deserve to live.
Michael Wanjohi
I am a 24 year old web applications developer, I have been developing websites for 4 years now. I am keen on web development as well as design. After my 4 year experience I have managed to kickstart a small web based design company alongside 3 of my friends called WE CREATE. We are currently small but doing big things. I enjoy reading blogs, I can spend a whole day peering through peoples thoughts. I am also keen on music as a part time Dj, music is my muse when it comes to web development.
My talk will discuss WordPress as the best CMS.
Moses Kemibaro
Moses Kemibaro is a seasoned Digital Marketer with 15+ years experience throughout Africa. He is Founder & Strategic Advisor of Dotsavvy, a full-service Digital Agency based in Nairobi that he started 10+ years ago. He recently produced PIVOT East 2013, East Africa’s Premier Mobile Startups Competition and Conference. In 2012 he was Sales Director for Africa at InMobi, a leading Global Mobile Ad Network. Prior to InMobi, Moses was the founding Regional Manager at Dealfish East Africa (now known as OLX Kenya) which he grew from scratch to become the leading online classifieds web site on mobile and desktop in Kenya and Uganda. He is also an award-winning TechBlogger at MosesKemibaro.com where he rants and raves about all things digital in Kenya.
Njeri Wangare Wanjohi
Njeri is a multi talented Kenyan poet and performer, IT specialist and arts blogger whose collection of poetry was recently published under the title ‘Mines & Mind Fields; My Spoken Words’. She has now among some of the most talented Kenyan poets. Njeri has come to be known as the voice of reason and change in the Kenyan poetry circles due to the content and theme of her poems.
Patrick Okoti Aluora
I am a Kenya, motivated for a purpose and destined for Change in my Society. I believe every human being has a right to a just life.
Session: The Use of blog platforms To emphasize the need for independent Reasoning For a just Society
The session shall involve a presentation on appropriate use of internet more specifically blog platforms for societal emancipation and education on the need for independent reasoning of individuals without influence from those we consider societal icons.
The session shall also include an exchange from the audience on the future of justice in Kenya from internet communication.
Philip Arthur Moore
Philip Arthur Moore is the Premium Theme team lead at Automattic. I’m thrilled to have been able to ask Philip some questions about WordPress.com premium themes, their processes, and working at Automattic.
Rayhab Gachango
I am a creative writer who writes poetry, stories and articles. I am a trained Communications Specialist and Chartered Marketer. I am currently studying for a Masters in Corporate & Development Communication at Daystar University. I carry out advocacy through writing on issues of peace, gender, sexuality, governance, crime and poverty. I am also referred to as the Kenyan Love Poet because I writes alot on love.
Shitemi Khamadi
I am a news junkie. I like knowing stuff on different things. I also enjoy writing on different issues and so by accident or otherwise am a print and online journalist. Devolution is what am now more focus on and which I feel if well mid-wifed will help take Kenyans to the next level.
Session: Devolving Blogging
In the session, it would be good to share on why bloggers should be more vigilant in devolution. The more of them get involved in blogging about devolution issues in different counties, the better it becomes for holding devolved governments to account. Media and various government institutions will not as the scale of operations is quite wide. In fact, if developers could come up applications that could help ensure taxpayers money is not much wasted.
Tonnie Mello
I am an entrepreneur, small business consultant and mentor. I am passionate about business and supporting youth to establish and manage successful enterprises.
My session will look at monetizing online platforms, merging your marketing strategy into digital marketing and becoming a better business blogger.